Hi all,

I've been experiencing this awful chirping noise that seems to originate from inside the dashboard on the passenger side. It only happens while the engine is idle and is a bit warmer (like if the car is parked in the outside during sun it does the noise straight from startup. If the car was in the garage it takes 5 to 10 minutes before it appears)

Also the noise stops if I press on the dashboard (the softer part), but comes straight back upon release.

Has anyone been having this issue or know what it is and how to solve it? It's been driving me nuts and making me hate my car, which is stupid because my boy is 17 years old, has 240.000Km and never gave me a single issue.

Also, a video to show said noise: https://streamable.com/f1badd

 

13 minutes ago, PHVRodrigues said:

... my boy is 17 years old, has 240.000Km and never gave me a single issue...

Aahhh, therein lies your problem. You seem to have a 'male' car, unlike most of us having the female variety. The female one makes noise constantly all the time so over time we have simply grown deaf to the sound. 😁

Tracking intermittent noises can be difficult - and although pressing one part of the dashboard may stop it, it is a bit like referred pain in the human body.  Check that the B post trim is secure, take out the glove box, have a good poke around and see if anything is loose.  Any leaves in the vent system ?  I am tempted to suggest drive belts, which used to squeak on start up as the alternator worked hard to recharge the battery, then ease off, but the symptoms don't really point to that.

I have changed vent louvres in the past as they have rattled and squeaked for no apparent reason.  On my 2008 Focus my radio stalk control has recently rattled intermittently - I have dismantled it, inspected it, can't find anything loose, so I am living with it

The advantage about female noises in the car, is that you can stop them at the next bus stop.

As long as being a male car, I apologize as in Portugal we refer to our cars with gender 🤣

Cars are boys and vans are ladies.

As far as my Focus is concerned, bought it exactly 5 years ago with 128.000Km in the odometer. A 109hp 1.6Tdci. Ran it until 240.000Km as of today and I still enjoy it, very solid car... never gave me a single issue besides a battery replacement in 2020.

This cricket sound though, the video doesn't show it properly because it's so loud and annoying, I've found myself looking at new 1.0 Ecoboost Pumas...

If I press very hard In, on my Ford 6000 CD stereo, on the left and right hand sides, I can quiet down (temporarily) a horrible buzz from inside the dash. It gets better for a while then comes back. 

Thought it might be worth a try? Good luck tracking it down.

 

9 minutes ago, Miles P Gallon said:

If I press very hard In, on my Ford 6000 CD stereo, on the left and right hand sides, I can quiet down (temporarily) a horrible buzz from inside the dash. It gets better for a while then comes back. 

 

Sounds like some of the mounting pins need tightening. Would be worth removing the head unit (you'll need 4 x removal pins a few pounds on Ebay), and when you take it out, you'll see how the pins clasp the fascia and fettle from there...